1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to aquaculture devices, and particularly to a shrimp culturing system utilizing air to aerate and circulate water and power the system, as well as maximize shrimp production capacity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many people enjoy consuming shrimp. It is one of the most common and popular species of seafood that appeals to the general public. As demand grows, at times, the demand cannot be easily met by conventional harvesting methods, and consequently, the consumer must bear with correspondingly increased costs.
Most conventional methods of obtaining shrimp involve harvesting the shrimp from their natural habitat, either in the seas or bodies of fresh water, for example. Though relatively abundant, the amount of shrimp that can be harvested can be affected by various factors, such as the resiliency of certain species to fishery pressures, life cycles, and seasonal availability. This can impact the general availability of shrimp for the consumers.
Other attempts to meet consumer demands involve various shrimp farms. These shrimp farms usually include artificial cages or fences placed in a natural body of water where the shrimp reside, or artificial and/or lined ponds which demarcate areas for controlled cultivation of the shrimp, for example. The shrimp are supplied with special feed that both attract and promote growth. When using the natural environment of the shrimp, such as the sea, river or pond where the shrimp normally thrive, oxygenation and waste management is not as much of a concern to the farmer because the natural environment usually provides sufficient oxygen through the normal movement of the water and interaction with other organisms, e.g., bacteria and plant life, that occupy the same space. When using artificial bodies of water, oxygenation and waste management becomes much more of a concern because proper management of both must be maintained to insure survivability of the shrimp.
However, such conventional methods can also make them highly susceptible to outside factors. For example, some bodies of water may not be exempt from disposal of industrial or commercial wastes which can contaminate the water, thereby introducing foreign substances potentially lethal to the shrimp being cultivated. Any surviving shrimp in such a contaminated environment may not be safe for consumption. The open nature of these farms can also drastically reduce protection from potential natural dangers. These natural dangers can encompass severe weather conditions and viruses, for example. Natural disasters can permanently damage equipment, and viruses have been known to devastate whole populations of the shrimp being cultivated. Either situation is detrimental to the farmer in the form of lost revenue and lost product.
In light of the above, it would be desirable to have a shrimp culture system that provides a sheltering protective environment for shrimp to thrive at a relative maximal capacity while aerating and nitrifying the water, efficiently and economically. Thus, a shrimp culturing system addressing the aforementioned problems is desired.